Spotted Visions - The Spotted Kit
by SpottedblazeOfWindClan
Summary: Long before the four Clans we know, the cats of the Clans in a time not remembered, as it was not important their doings and habits. In WindClan of the old forest, there is a kit- one with a destiny filled with many times of pain and grief, but a great one none the less. The Clans are happy. But early rivalries and revenge may lead the Clans on the greatest adventure ever known.
1. Allegiances

Allegiances

WindClan

Leader

 **Quailstar -** Light brown tom with green eyes

Deputy

 **Grayheart -** Gray tabby tom with amber eyes

Medicine Cat

 **Soottail -** Light gray she-cat with amber eyes (Apprentice, Copperpaw)

Warriors (toms and she-cats without kits)

 **Whitepelt -** White tom with light blue eyes

 **Daisypool -** Gray she-cat with light blue eyes

 **Oneheart -** Gray tabby tom (Apprentice, Springpaw)

 **Featherheart -** Light gray tabby she-cat

 **Clovershine -** White she-cat (Apprentice, Sagepaw)

 **Hailfrost -** Light brown tom (Apprentice, Chestnutpaw)

 **Softclaw -** Light gray tom with stripes around his paws

 **Cloudwaters -** Brown tabby tom (Apprentice, **Lightpaw** )

Apprentices (Warriors and medicine cats in training)

 **Copperpaw -** Dark brown tom

 **Springpaw -** Tortoiseshell she-cat

 **Sagepaw -** White-splotched brown tom

 **Chestnutpaw -** Brown she-cat

 **Lightpaw -** light gray she-cat

Queens (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

 **Spottedheart -** Spotted she-cat with green eyes, (mother of Hailfrost's kits, Spottedkit, unusually spotted she-kit; Dawnkit, mottled she-kit; and Gorsekit, brown tabby tom)

 **Rainberry -** Gray tabby she-cat

 **Waspstorm -** Tan she-cat (Mother of Quailstar's kits, Pheasantkit, tan she-kit; and Leafkit, gray tabby tom)

 **Elders** (Elderly warriors, now retired)

 **Mottleberry -** Mottled she-cat

 **Mudstorm -** Brown tom (with darker splotches)

 **Waterear -** Gray she-cat, deaf

 **Dappleheart -** Mottled she cat


	2. Prologue

**AN: Hey! I am _so_ excited to finally upload this(You know, 'cause I was too lazy to do it before XD)! I'm surprised anyone read it! It's been sitting around, neglected, while I write the second book. #TooLazyToCountTheTime. Just so you know, the actual story is finished, but I upload a few chapter a day of the document so you can read at a steady pace. When it's been too long, just give me a shout!**

 **Alright, enough! You didn't come here for the AN!**

 **To the story!**

Prologue

 _Leaf-bare sent chills through Soottail's spine as_ the medicine cats made the long journey to Mothermouth. Copperpaw walked with her, his fur fluffed up so it made him look twice his size.

"Why do we have to go to Mothermouth when it's this cold?" He groaned. "Can't there be an exception for leaf-bare? I mean, our clanmates must need us too."

Soottail felt a wave of sympathy for him. He had been apprenticed just sunrises earlier, along with his littermates.

"We must meet with StarClan every half-moon, even in leaf-bare, and if they ever change that, I'm a rabbit." Mewed Brightpounce, the ThunderClan medicine cat her slick fur shining in the moonlight.

Hazelleaf, the ShadowClan medicine cat, and Owlheart, the RiverClan medicine cat walked in silence next to them, in an apparent hurry to get to Mothermouth. Brightpounce looked at them questioningly.

"I think I saw an omen last night," explained Owlheart, his fur bushing up at the thought.

When they reached Mothermouth, moonhigh had almost come.

"Just stay close to my tail," Soottail mewed soothingly to Copperpaw, who was looking as if he had swallowed crow-food.

He did what she said. The cave tunnel felt longer than usual. When Soottail started to think they had gotten lost, they came into an opening. They had reached the Moonstone. Suddenly, light struck the cave, so bright she could hardly see. Copperpaw was gaping at it, awestruck.

"Touch your nose to the stone," she instructed, "And may StarClan light your dreams."

She touched her own nose to the stone, which felt hot and cold at the same time, immediately giving her the thought of fever before she drifted into sleep.

Soottail woke up in a wide meadow filled with moths and heather.

"Hello, Sootkit."

Soottail spun around to see her mother, Slatestorm, looking young and healthy, healthier than when she had died.

"Or should I call you by another name?"

"Soottail," she corrected Slatestorm.

"Oh yes, my kit is growing up so fast! If only I could have been there to see you come back from the Moonstone as a fully fledged medicine cat." She beamed, her eyes misting.

Soottail looked behind Slatestorm to see her old mentor, Hollyear.

"Get to what we need to tell her," she grunted impassionately.

"Of course," mewed Slatestorm. "Look for the Spotted Kit, for only the Spotted Kit can save WindClan."

"The Spotted Kit?" hissed Soottail, "But WindClan has no spotted kits!"

But her beloved StarClan allies were already fading.

"Look for the Spotted Kit," Hollyear repeated.

"Wait!" Soottail cried "What do you mean? Slatestorm! Hollyear!"


	3. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 _Cool air blew into the nursery_ _and rain_ dripped on Spottedkit's nose. She bundled closer to her mother's fur.

"I told Quailstar to get some warriors to patch up that hole," growled Waspstorm. "My kits are getting wet."

Spottedkit opened her eyes. "Serves them right. They snore so loud I bet there are no rabbits from here to Fourtrees!" she mumbled to herself.

"We know, Waspstorm, but there's no reason to bite _our_ heads off over it. I'll patch it up on my own later." mewed Spottedheart, Spottedkit's mother.

Spottedkit let out a helpless mew. Spottedheart wrapped her tail closer around Spottedkit and her littermates, Dawnkit and Gorsekit. A leaf-bare chill blew again. Gorsekit made a small cough; Spottedheart seemed to get the message.

"It's okay, little kit." she soothed. "I'll go get Soottail, and she'll fix that cough up in no time."

Spottedkit opened her eyes to see her walk out of the den. She stood up.

"Hey Dawnkit," she whispered softly to the small freckled kit buried deep in the moss.

Dawnkit grunted.

"Oh, come _on,_ how am I supposed to have fun in the snow without my _littermates?_ " Spottedkit groaned.

At that, Dawnkit jumped up from her sleeping place, stumbling on the soft moss.

"You never told me it was snowing!"

"It was falling on you, but you were snoring so loud I couldn't get to warning you!"

Dawnkit batted a paw at Spottedkit and caught her tail before she pounced.

"You're the mouse now!"

Dawnkit leaped gracefully away from Spottedkit's paws and tackled her, holding on to her with her small claws.

"Eat dung, RiverClan cat!"

Spottedkit winced. "Dawnkit! Spottedheart told you yesterday not to use your claws!"

"Fine."

 _We're going to be the best warriors ever!_ Spottedkit thought.

Just then, Spottedheart walked into the nursery, Soottail behind her.

"How about you go outside to give Gorsekit some space?" Soottail suggested, then added to Spottedheart, "When their noses start to turn pale, you know it's time to go inside."

"Thank you Soottail, I know it's been hard since Hollyear died," Spottedheart mewed, guiding her to the nursery. Soottail stared blankly ahead of her, no emotion shining in her dark eyes.

The crisp, cool scent of snow filled Spottedkit's senses as she walked out of the faint warmth of the nursery. Dawnkit trailed behind her with her thicker fur weighing her down. She and Dawnkit were identical, with their mother's spots, but Dawnkit had their father's thick fur.

"I win! I'm the best warrior ever!" Spottedkit declared.

"Now now, Spottedkit," Meowed a voice in her ear. It was their father, Hailfrost, whose fur was sodden and dripping. "Just because you won a"- He stopped to glance at Dawnkit- "Drag race, doesn't mean you're any better than she is. Her whole pelt was holding her down."

Spottedkit grunted. Soottail and Spottedheart walked out of the nursery.

"Gorsekit should be fine," Soottail mewed to Spottedheart, then paused. "I think it's time for them to get inside before they get greencough." She flicked her tail at Spottedkit and her littermate.

Spottedheart nodded and grabbed Spottedkit by the scruff.

"Hey, get off of me!" Came Dawnkit's cry that sent out the news of being picked up too.

Spottedkit sensed warriors coming closer, and decided to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"I heard that ThunderClan are at war with RiverClan," Clovershine mewed to Featherheart. "They should just share the rocks and give up their ancestors' battle." Featherheart, who was currently preoccupied in eating a fat rabbit, nodded her agreement. Suddenly, Spottedkit's half sister, Daisypool, came bursting into the camp, her eyes wild and her fur bushed.

"RiverClan are invading!"

Many shocked gasps came from the Clan.

"How dare they strut into our territory as if they own it!" Quailstar declared.

Softclaw, Cloudwaters and Whitepelt, who were on patrol with Daisypool ran into camp. Daisypool's eyes were wide with shock and she was shaking so violently Spottedheart had to go support her.

"Come on, my sweet kit." Spottedheart soothed. "Think about Stormtail."

At her words though, Daisypool wailed even louder. Apparently she didn't _want_ to think about her father, Stormtail.

"Everyone, stay calm!" Quailstar yowled from the Meetingstone. "I will send out a patrol to deal with them."

"How many were there?" Hailstorm asked Whitepelt.

Softclaw gave a shudder and answered for him, "The whole Clan.


	4. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 _Willowfox weaved her way in and_ out of the RiverClan plants, off the side of their river. The vines parted at every paw step, getting quieter into the darkness. Above a pool of stars hung in the sky twinkling and reflecting in the river down below.

 _Careful,_ she told herself. The vole she was hunting seemed to get closer as she moved, almost so she could feel its remote heartbeat. She pounced and soon the vole lay limp in her claw. She scooped it into her mouth and padded back to camp. The reeds parted and crickets bounced at her paws. The warmth of the vole took over her senses. RiverClan was half starved this leaf-bare. As she swam across to the RiverClan camp though, her feeling of satisfaction resided.

 _Right,_ She thought bitterly. _They're too busy bugging WindClan with their territory to care about the elders._

That reminded her to take prey to Grayfoot, RiverClan's only elder who was given special care through leaf-bares, because he had seen so many, and one had slowly and painfully taken his mate, Skyspirit.

"Oh, you warriors are too kind!" he purred when Willowfox walked into the den, then added in a more serious tone, "Though honestly, I wish you would rip my throat out and let me join Skyspirit!"

Willowfox purred. "Never," she whispered and walked out of the den.

 _I hope RiverClan survives leaf-bare,_ she thought. She knew the risks of having feuds and wars with other Clans with her own very small and no queens, kits, or mates to replenish it should it shrink. Then she let out a gasp. She heard cries of glee and the scent of an enemy Clan coming closer. No sooner than she had turned around that she saw her Clanmates being rushed and cornered into the camp by lean cats. They smelled heavily of heather and sky, and Willowfox knew by her Clanmates' description that they were WindClan. She rushed over to help.

"Keep your tail over there, fish-breath, before I rip it off," hissed a dark gray warrior, so close to Willowfox that she could feel his warm breath in her face.

"I'd like to see you try," she snarled, whipping into his direction.

Her paw swiped into the air and clashed down on the hissing tom. Even though the tom rebelled, she got a direct hit at his flank. He recoiled and lodged a sharp claw in her back. She screeched furiously flinging herself on top of the hissing tom. She raked her claws along his back and bit the end of his tail. Blood was gushing out of her fresh wounds, but she knew she was giving the tom worse pain. With a last defiant yowl he bolted through the bushes, out of the RiverClan camp. With a triumphant screech she turned to join the rest of her clan. Meanwhile a couple fox-lengths away, WindClan was beginning to retreat as Rabbitstar barked orders to warriors chasing them beyond the border.

"Willowfox!" She yelled from the leveled ground nearby, "Make sure they get out, and quickly!"

Rabbitstar seemed distraught, but nevertheless she obeyed and chased the remaining WindClan cats to the border, Yowling triumphantly as she went. This was her third battle since being a warrior, and she could not accept to loose. She padded back to camp feeling new energy from battle prickle through her paws. Her senses prickled at every noise in the darkness and every glint of an eye. As she walked back to camp, the faintest smell of Clan cat drifted past her, but she took no notice. The first snow hadn't come to RiverClan, and still the faint stench of leaf-fall drenched the air.

 _StarClan, let there be at least one piece of fresh-kill in the pile, just one!_ By the time she made it back to camp the sky was dark, and the fresh kill pile beheld a tiny squished vole. _All prey is scarce,_ she thought to herself. _But it wouldn't hurt to go hunting one more time!_ The scrawny vole she had eaten before felt like air in her empty stomach. She turned and padded out of the clearing down to the river. Feeling more alive than she had for several moons Willowfox began to run. Picking up speed at every new patch of ferns, enjoying the crisp leaf-bear air. The frozen river came in sight and she skidded to a halt. Picking up her paws she practiced a old RiverClan hunting technique. She dug her claws deep into the cold earth scooping out chunks of dirt and tossing it to the side. Finally, she reached liquid mud, light brown, and fine enough to filter through her claws and onto the ice hard ground. She looked over her hole with immense satisfaction and instantly spotted her prey. A big fish had lumbered its way into the ground to escape the frozen river but couldn't escape Willowfox. One easy strike to the spine and the fish lay limp in her jaws. Her head bowed under the weight. She dropped her fish near a heap of ferns and stared to her territory. The lush green fern patches alive with beautiful song birds, and the willow trees branches dancing in the wind. The small RiverClan burial ground's ring of pebbles glinted mysteriously in the faint yellow moonlight. Willowfox gazed around the territory seeing a large tom sliding silently through the bushes. Her hackles raised and her fur bristled from her tail to her neck fur and a deep growl rose in her throat. She didn't want to abandon the fresh-kill she had caught, but was eager to rake her claws across the foolish tom's muzzle that dared intrude her territory. Willowfox moved her fish into a spot deeper in the fern patch where it's tempting smell might be covered by the smell of earth and slinked into a small stalking position. The tom was clearly bigger than her, but if she had a chance to get him by surprise her injuries would definitely not be worse and the battle would be closer to won. Pushing back her haunches into her glossy pelt Willowfox slid into the reeds and prepared to pounce. Getting a last adrenaline rush, she pounced, swiftly batting the toms legs unbalancing him with a sheathed claw. But he was ready, stepping back and landing a blow on her chest with a sheathed claw. Willowfox dived under him pushing her weight into his hind legs and finally he fell to the ground.

She let out a purr of amusement and let the tom catch his breath. He stood and gave her a look of laughter and mewled, "You want to share?" he flicked his tail over to the pile of moss she had dropped her fish in. Willowfox gave a happy purr. The black tom was Crowwhisper, a kit who had been found washed up on the bank of the RiverClan border, a kit desperate for milk. Their flanks touching as she padded to the small clump of moss, where her trout lay. They gulped it up hungrily, as they headed back for camp.


	5. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 _Spottedkit's nose was numb with cold_ , and her legs frozen in fear. She had been standing in one place since Hailstorm left with the patrol driving RiverClan off their territory. Almost all the warriors were gone, others sick with greencough the recent snow brought, or peacefully sleeping in their dens without a worry in the world. She couldn't wait until Pheasantkit and Leafkit were old enough to play with her. She didn't know what to do, with Gorsekit sick and Dawnkit always daydreaming. Deep in her thoughts, Spottedkit felt her legs lift from the cold earth.

"Hey!" she protested.

 _This must be a game to see if I'll be a good warrior!_ She thought. _In that case, I'm gonna win and you'll be sorry Spottedheart!_

She let herself be carried away without a single complaint. As they walked out of camp, they didn't go explore the vast meadows of WindClan as she had hoped. Instead, they turned into dense reeds. The cat carrying her set her down into a patch of bushes. When the cat spoke, it wasn't the soothing voice of Spottedheart, this cat was a tom; a large tom that had just walked into WindClan camp.

And stolen Spottedkit.

"Turn around," he ordered.

Spottedkit obeyed. She saw a large brown tabby standing in front of her.

"Good kit."

A tabby she-cat identical to the tom padded to where they were.

"Nice catch, Stick."

"Are you going to eat me?" Spottedkit whimpered.

"Oh yes, why have a plump mouse when there's a nice juicy kit standing right there," grumbled the tom sarcastically.

Spottedkit sat stiffly, her tail twitching slightly.

"What, need your mama?" the she-cat taunted.

Spottedkit raked the she-cat's nose and bit her paw. The she-cat recoiled.

"Hey!"

Spottedkit snorted at the she-cat's mock authority.

"Is that all you've got?"

"You little-"

"Spottedkit!" Spottedheart burst into the hollow.

The tom whipped around, teeth bared. Spottedheart stared at him.

"Stick?" she whispered, then growled. "What are you doing in WindClan territory?"

"Getting revenge," the tom, Stick snapped.

"How did you know she was mine?"

"It wasn't hard; she looks just like you."

Spottedheart lashed out at him, ripping every piece of flesh she could find.

"You cowardly pieces of fox dung!" she hissed.

She saw Spottedheart mutter something to Stick.

"I don't know why you ever bothered getting your hopes up." she hissed, pausing to land another blow on his shoulder. "I would never be mates with a _lowlife- cowardly- callous- disrespectful_ rabbit-brain like you."

Stick looked like someone had just taken his fat rabbit and replaced it with a beetle.

She picked Spottedkit up by the scruff and bounded over the moor, all the way back to the camp, and set her down.

"Those rabbit-brains, all they care about is making sure that they're feared!" Spottedheart hissed.

Hailstorm raced out of the warriors den, his eyes clouded with worry.

"Did they hurt you?"

"What's going on?" Quailstar leaped off of Meetingstone.

"Stick and Shadow," Spottedheart panted.

 _Oh no! What have I done?_


	6. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 _Willowfox lay under a holly bush watching_ the rain fall. It had been raining all sunhigh, and the last patrol had just left. She hid the urge to go on a patrol, but was quite hard. A few fox-lengths away, a mouse darted from the bushes. _Here's my chance, s_ he thought, darting from the protection of the holly bush she was hiding under. She raced over and caught the mouse between her muddy claws. Willowfox heaved from the ground and leaped onto the nearest ledge. Lilypaw and Yarrowpaw were play fighting at the entrance of the apprentices den, their fur sticking up with mud. Grayfoot was sleeping peacefully buried in the soft moss of his den, while Owlheart rubbed mouse bile on his flank.

"Oh good, I hoped you would be here."

She spun around to see Hollowbloom and Birdsong padding to her.

"It's been a while," Birdsong replied, brushing Willowfox's flank with Hollowbloom. A patrol had returned to camp, Rabbitstar in the lead. She signaled her tail to Yarrowpaw who quickly padded behind her.

"All cats that are old enough to swim, join me under the Reedpile!" Rabbitstar yowled.

Willowfox gazed at her admiringly. From her proud stance to her amazing ability to lead RiverClan, Rabbitstar was perfect.

"Today is a special day for the Clan," she began, "and for one special apprentice. Yarrowpaw, please come here. I, Rabbitstar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Yarrowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Yarrowpaw gulped, his eyes shining with excitement. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Yarrowpaw, from this moment you will be known as Yarrowflight. StarClan honors your intelligence and quick thinking, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."

"Yarrowflight! Yarrowflight!" the Clan chanted.

"Sweetpaw should be with me," Yarrowflight murmured.

Willowfox padded over to comfort her former apprentice, but Crowwhisper bounded over to stop her.

"Let him grieve for now. There will be a time for loving, and a time for grieving. This is the time to love and congratulate him."

Willowfox nodded, remembering that Sweetpaw had been Crowwhisper's apprentice; she had been killed by a fox one greenleaf while hunting. Crowwhisper had felt a very special bond with her, one between mentor and apprentice, but it had lasted so short because of her death. Yarrowpaw had been distraught by her death, as she was his only littermate, and he had no family to look up to. He had sought revenge and with a large group of the cats of RiverClan, they hunted the fox down and killed it.

"It's okay. I'm sure she's happy in StarClan, watching her brother become the bravest warrior there ever was." Willowfox whispered to Yarrowflight as she passed.

Yarrowflight dipped his head in gratitude. She hoped he would find love someday, to fill the gaping hole in his heart. But along with Yarrow Flight's sadness, a different type of tension spiked the air, this time coming from Crowwhisper. Was that _jealousy_ he was feeling?

Willowfox ignored it. Whatever Crowwhisper felt, it wasn't her business to pick around into. And besides, she had other things to think about. The last vision she had gotten, for example. Her blind right eye had never troubled her; she could see where no other cat could see through it; sometimes, if she focused hard enough, she could see StarClan's hunting grounds in the waking world. Willowfox liked to think of the blindness as a gift from StarClan. A quarter moon ago, she had gotten not only an omen, but a prophecy; she thought about the words now: _Look for the Spotted Kit, because only she can save WindClan._ Before she had thought what happened to WindClan had nothing to do with her, but then, she reflected, if one Clan was gone, the others were more prone to battling over the new territory. But why should StarClan send a _RiverClan_ cat to care about WindClan? Why couldn't they send it to Soottail? Willowfox gave her pelt a shake headed to the fresh-kill pile. She picked up plump silver fish and trotted to the corner of the warriors' den. Her pelt stuck to her lean body soaked with thick black mud. She headed down the tunnel to the pool of water beyond sunningrocks. Her paws nimbly and barely touching the ground. The rocks at sunning rocks glowed with grey watery light that reflected the deep pool. Ferns brushed the surface of the water sending silent ripples across the deep blue pool. She sent one paw into the freezing water, chilling her to the bone. Then another subtler this time, ebbing the cold. Finally the water came to her belly fur sending waves of cold across her small limbs. A silver fin glinted in the light. Willowfox dived almost silently letting her whiskers guide her through the eerie water dark water. Suddenly her paw hooked she struck her paw breaking the surface of the water and catching the fish. Her paw broke the pool like lightning cracking through the cloudy sky. Satisfied, she headed back to camp.


	7. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

" _Until you receive your warrior_ name, you shall be known as Spottedpaw," Quailstar yowled. "Your mentor will be Featherheart. StarClan honors your loyalty and enthusiasm, and I hope you will pass these qualities to your apprentice."

"Spottedpaw! Dawnpaw! Gorsepaw!" the Clan chanted.

Spottedpaw's pelt burned with pride as the Clan called she and her littermates' names.

"I can't believe it!" Gorsepaw gaped. "I got Whitepelt!"

He did something somewhere between a bounce and a twirl. Dawnpaw looked crestfallen. She had gotten Softclaw.

Spottedpaw hadn't forgotten what had happened moons ago when she was a kit. She'd heard nursery tales about Stick, and the black tabby she-cat, Shadow. She'd heard stories about how they killed. She'd heard stories about how Stick loved her mother. She'd heard stories about how he had killed Stormtail, her would-be father. She'd heard how he wants revenge. _But I'm an apprentice now. I can defend myself, they will never lay another paw on my family!_ Dawnpaw voice broke into her thoughts.

"Hey, slowpoke! We're going to explore the territory, you coming or not?"

Spottedpaw raced after her sister, her paws prickling with excitement. The fresh, clean air felt amazing. She raced across the moor, wind buffeting her fur, her littermates at her side.

"I feel like I could run forever!" Dawnpaw exclaimed.

Their mentors caught up to them.

"That's probably the WindClan blood running through your veins!" Softclaw replied a proud gleam in his eyes.

"But just because you know how to battle, don't go picking fights or it won't only be your enemies' blood being spilled," Whitepelt added grimly.

They stopped when they reached a tall, windswept hill. Spottedpaw gaped at it in awe. The tall grass parted like they were making a path to silver pelt itself.

"This," Featherheart panted, "is the gazing hill. This is where you practice patience and focus. Spottedpaw, why don't you go first?"

"Aw, I don't want to practice _patience,_ I want to-" Spottedpaw broke off as Featherheart narrowed her eyes. She let out a reluctant sigh and slowly walked to the top of the hill. Spottedpaw gasped.

"It's so beautiful!" she called down to her littermates.

"What do you hear?" Featherheart called up to her. "Remember, _focus and patience._ "

Spottedpaw closed her eyes and listened to the wind. Then she heard more things, beyond WindClan territory. The Thunderpath monsters, a squirrel in ThunderClan territory, a rabbit hopping not too far away…

 _Rabbit!_

Spottedpaw's eyes shot open and she raced after the rabbit. She pounced, feeling its soft tail. She felt warm flesh as she bit down on the rabbit's back. Her Clanmates bounded over.

"Great catch!" Gorsepaw exclaimed, his eyes widening.

Spottedpaw's pelt burned with pride.

The cool air felt good on Spottedpaw's back as she strode next to Spottedheart to the Gathering, her littermates beside her. Quailstar ran into the clearing. Spottedpaw felt like all the different scents were going to overwhelm her. Dawnpaw looked like she was going to bounce to the moon.

"So many cats!" she exclaimed and raced over to a group of apprentices. She was almost overwhelmed and curled her tail in delight.

Spottedpaw turned to follow. She was so excited she bumped into a ThunderClan apprentice.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" a smoky black tom hissed.

"Hi, my name is Spottedpaw," she mewed.

"Smokepaw," the apprentice replied coolly, "what Clan are you from?"

"WindClan; and yours?" she asked. She was starting to like this tom.

"ThunderClan, you have very pretty spots and a good pounce."

Spottedpaw opened her mouth to speak again, but then a yowl sounded from the great rock. The Gathering was starting, she snapped to attention. Smokepaw was sitting besides her their fur brushing. The cats here were so alike, she could hardly believe they came from different Clans.

"ThunderClan is doing well," Pouncestar, the ThunderClan leader began, "and we have a new apprentice. Smokepaw!"

"Smokepaw! Smokepaw!" The Clans chanted.

Pouncestar nodded to Quailstar.

"Prey is running well in WindClan as well, and we too have new apprentices. Spottedpaw, Dawnpaw, and Gorsepaw!"

Spottedpaw's pelt prickled with embarrassment as the Clans chanted her name. Her heart swelled. Rabbitstar, the RiverClan leader, rose to speak.

"First of all, we would like to let WindClan know that we do not tolerate their trespassing and prey-stealing."

The other leaders stared at Quailstar, who was still gazing into Rabbitstar's icy stare.

"WindClan would never put a single claw on that slimy prey," he meowed coolly.

"We also have a new warrior. Yarrowflight!"

They all sat in silence rather than acknowledge the new warrior. Yarrowflight looked baffled.

"We did not steal your prey," Quailstar repeated. "It would be dishonoring our ancestors."

"Then you have dishonored them!" Rabbitstar hissed. "You have dishonored all our ancestors, you have dishonored StarClan themselves!"

"If you think you know our ancestors, you should know that we would never touch that slimy kittypet food that you would risk getting your paws wet for!" Quailstar spat, finally losing his temper.

"The only reason you aren't starving is because you are thieves and prey-stealers!" Quailstar continued.

"Wait! No, stop!" Spottedpaw wailed.

Spottedpaw watched helplessly as yowls of protest echoed through the clearing. Nobody seemed to notice the clouds covering the moon. Quailstar rounded on Rabbistar. It was silent other than the whispered jeers from the crowd and an apprentice somewhere saying "Fight, fight, fight!" soon to be hushed by his Clanmate. Quailstar pounced at Rabbitstar and tackled her, pinning her down. Her eyes widened in shock.

"What's wrong, kittypet?" Quailstar taunted. "Never learn to pounce?"

He sank his jaws into Rabbitstar's scruff and tossed her away like a stale piece of fresh-kill. He caught her again and sank his teeth into her quivering neck.

"You are in the wrong, Quailstar," a sleek looking RiverClan she-cat called Willowfox mewed, breaking the silence. She continued.

"You, only you, have dishonored your Clan right here, and right now. WindClan does not deserve this; they are strong cats with a weak and unstable leader."

No cat dared protest, but stared in awe as the she-cat went on.

"Rabbitstar was not right to accuse you of prey-stealing, but she did remain loyal to the warrior code. You did not. Taking a life away at a Gathering, a kit would know better," She mewed calmly looking into Quailstar's flaming eyes.

He pounced landing an inch from Willowfox. She spun around and jumped back to protect her throat. He pounced again and landed with a thud onto the hard ground. The RiverClan warrior blocked and held him down, her ear bleeding heavily, gasping between heavy pants and mewed aggressively.

"You will not take the lives of any more cats!" Willowfox held down Quailstar and sank her teeth into his throat.

When they got to camp the cats strode to their dens and watched the darkness rise into the sky. She waited silently as the rest of the apprentices walked into the den. The next day it snowed hard, and the cats of WindClan lurched at every sign of prey. Spottedpaw and other apprentices stood huddled in their dens. Mentors had canceled training, for the snow came up to their legs, and made it impossible to walk. Spottedpaw's tinged with frustration. _We should be training!_ She rose from her moss den and impatiently raked

 _Is StarClan punishing us?_ Spottedpaw thought. _Oh please, let us survive this leaf-bare, even with a weak leader!_

Soottail suddenly appeared at her side, looking worried.

"Spottedheart has greencough," she mewed.

"Greencough?" Spottedpaw's attention snapped to the she-cat.

"I'm sorry, you cannot visit her, she might get you sick." Mewed Soottail apologetically.

"So?" Spottedpaw hissed, "What if she dies? I'd rather have greencough and go with her than to live without her!"

"Oh, you silly apprentice, imagine if you go and she doesn't, how would that make her feel?"

"I am not a silly apprentice!" Spottedpaw hissed, baring her teeth, "And I want to go!"

"My answer is no, and you will not take one single step into the medicine den."

Spottedpaw lashed out at her, raking her nose. She caught blood on her paw and when she put it down, it turned the snow crimson.

"No! Why do we have to be the weakest Clan? Why do we have to suffer through the most pain?"


	8. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

 _Willowfox listened intently_ as her leader continued.

"Today, I have to very, very, important announcements to make!"

She looked over to Crowwhisper. His eyes were shining with the light of battle and his pelt was bristling with pride as Yarrowflight bounced to Willowfox's side.

"Last night, Quailstar broke the warrior code and took one of my lives!" she began. "I have been told, though, that Willowfox, our loyal warrior took one of his, his eighth life!"

Satisfied yowls echoed around the clearing. _That's where you are wrong._ Willowfox thought.

Crowwhisper and Willowfox were always very close. She could feel her pelt prickle with pride as she dipped her head. When she remembered when they were kits her heart swelled and sank to the bottom of her chest. She remembered when her mother, Silverstrike, found the black kit washed up on the river and gave him to another queen. She remembered how he always talked to her about being her loyal deputy, and also raising kits. Even though he clearly couldn't do both. She sighed and leaned into his flank.

"I know you've been kind of sluggish lately, but are you still up for a quick catch?"

"Always!"she purred back, bounding to the river.

"No fair, you got a head start!" he called after her jumping over the tall reeds.

"You can't win it all!" She retorted, jumping and landing smoothly in the clearing of the meadow. She watched the sky ahead dim as Crowwhisper pelted to her side carrying a limp fish carefully in his mouth.

"Thank you, but I was really wondering why it took so long!" she purred as he lay beside her.

By the time they trotted back to camp, the only light they could see was of Silverpelt as Yarrowflight did his silent vigil. She crept into the warriors den and let her body become heavy as she looked into the empty queen's den. She sighed loudly and felt the comfort of her clanmates coming back from the ceremony, Crowwhisper laying his head next to hers. The next morning a blanket of soft snow had fallen and the wind was brisk and cool.

"Come on, you great lump! Get up!"

Willowfox woke up with a start and followed Hollowbloom and the rest of the patrol out of camp. Their pads crunched against the new snow like dry brittle leaves. The scent of pine was thick in the air. Willowfox flicked Hollowbloom and nodded her head at the stream nearby. Hollowbloom stared into the shallow pool where their prey hid. _It's almost impossible to see!_ She thought. Then Willowfox fell into a crouch and advanced towards the unaware fish. Suddenly Hollowbloom darted a paw into the water. The fish flopped on the ground, trying to escape as Willowfox bounded and bit into its spine.  
"Good catch," she panted, pawing her Clanmate.

"Should we head back?" Hollowbloom suggested, brushing Willowfox.

"You can go, but I'm not coming back until I've caught something else."

Hollowbloom nodded in response and heaved the fish back to camp.

 _Focus!_ Willowfox told herself crouching and bounding into the thick undergrowth. A fish leaped out of the pool nearby and hid under the stones. Willowfox darted a paw into the water. _Got you!_ She carried it back to camp and dropped it into the fresh kill pile. She made her way to the queen's den, and picked up the fallen sticks that had caved in. She kicked out the barren snow and laid down in the empty den kicking the old moss into the entrance. Willowfox let out a long satisfied purr.

"Willowfox, if you want kits to pop out of the sky, laying under the queen's den probably won't make it happen any quicker." a sarcastic voice mewed in front of her. She looked up to see Owlheart looking back at her.

She stood up, stretched and pawed at her littermate.

"I need to collect some herbs." he had an expression of desperation on his face.

"What's going on?" She hissed quietly, trying to read the expression on her brother's face. "You never want my paws on your herbs."

"Rabbitstar walked off this morning, she said she would be on morning patrol. I need to find out why." He meowed, his eyes stretching wide.

"Since when are you the one who wants to do something like this? Plus, she probably just went off for dirt before the patrol." She said in a louder tone.

"For that long? If you hadn't noticed, she hasn't come back."

Willowfox pondered over this for a while. Owlheart was right. She hadn't seen Rabbitstar before she went for "dirt" and if she did, Owlheart almost definitely would.

"So are you coming or not?" He asked.

"Sure," she replied, following him out of the den.

Outside was cold and windy. Owlheart made his way to the ThunderClan border following the stale scent of their leader. Willowfox weaved her way around the wet snow and bramble following her brother.

"There!" He mewed finally tweaking his tail over to Sunningrocks. There she stood. Pouncestar was only half a fox length away, deep in conversation.

"What are they doing?" Owlheart questioned, bobbing his head. Pouncestar sat down and beckoned to her as well.

"I know what you're thinking," Pouncestar started, "But it really is getting quite dangerous."

Rabbitstar nodded in agreement while scanning the fresh leaf-bare air. Willowfox's heart pounded so hard in her chest she was sure the leaders could hear it.

"So what's your proposition? You know him best." she mewed.

"That's when we were kits. Besides, there's nothing we can do now but prevent war between our clans." He replied. She nodded in agreement.

"I know what we can do," she began. Then lowered her voice so Owlheart and Willowfox could not hear.

"Fox dung!" Owlheart spat, digging his claws into the ground.

When they walked back to camp, all Willowfox could do was think. _What is getting quite dangerous? Quailstar? Or is this something bigger?_


End file.
